250 Iraqis killed, 700 hurt since hand over: US general's interview
BAGHDAD, July 28: Nearly 1,000 Iraqi civilians and security personnel have been killed or wounded in guerilla attacks since US-led occupiers handed power to an interim government on June 28
, a senior US commander said on Wednesday.
Brig Gen Erv Lessel, deputy director for operations for the US military in Iraq, said guerillas were out to destroy the new government. But Iraq's fledgling security forces were making progress despite the bloody toll and suicide car bomb attacks such as one on Wednesday in the town of Baquba that killed 70 people, Gen Lessel said in an interview.
"It's difficult to predict what the terrorist groupings will do. Today was an example of how despicable they can be... They want the multinational forces to leave Iraq and to destroy the sovereign government," Gen Lessel said.
Around 250 Iraqis had been killed and 700 wounded in terror acts in the past month, the general said, adding that guerillas were increasingly targeting Iraqi security forces and the innocent.
"I think the Iraqi people are becoming more and more outraged. They are tired of the killing, they are tired of the murders," Gen Lessel said. Despite attacks on the very people whose role is to protect ordinary Iraqis, Lessel said Iraqis were showing their support for the government by wanting to join the police, the National Guard or the army.
Some analysts say a decent wage is a major motivation. Gen Lessel said there were many examples of police and national guard personnel preventing attacks by finding explosives and other devices that could be used in bombings.
A US military official said there had been little change in the number of average daily attacks since before the handover. These still averaged around 30-40 a day against Iraqi security personnel and a similar amount against the 160,000 foreign troops in Iraq, the majority from the United States.
Gen Lessel said it was difficult to say if the recent surge in bombings and assassinations was a sign of things to come as Iraq takes major steps in its political transition.
One key event is a gathering on Saturday where 1,000 Iraqis from across the political and religious spectrum will select a 100-member National Council to oversee the interim government and draw up the national budget.
Asked if security was too tenuous for the event to go ahead, Gen Lessel said the timing was an Iraqi decision, but added he knew the organizers were confident it could proceed as scheduled. US-led forces will help guard the meeting, which will take place at a location yet to be disclosed. Iraq has national elections due by January. -Reuters
